To be honest, I’m not the biggest film connoisseur. It’s hard for me to articulate why I like the movies I like. I took a film history class, and I have great appreciation for classics, how cinematography techniques developed over time, and the challenges early filmmakers faced and overcame, but I don’t have an encyclopedic knowledge of films. I’m always in awe of people who do, but that’s not me. I just love movies.
I want to make movies that are rewatch worthy. Movies where people are excited to take the journey; to spend two hours with these characters over and over.
I’m not going to name names, but I watched a movie for a class once, and it was absolutely horrible. I hated every one of the characters, and I didn’t want to spend another minute with any of them. Others pointed out setups & payoffs, character development, and other writer details. When it came to me, I told the professor how horrible it was. There was a collective groan, and I thought I was alone. But after class, others came up to me with the same reaction – who wants to watch a family where everyone has some sort of social anxiety issue, they want to die or kill someone related to them, and at least one of them is already dying of something, and not telling anyone. I don’t care what you’re dying of, you don’t have the right to treat others like crap – family or not. I don’t want to make movies like that.
Here’s a list of some of my favorite movies. I’m sure this list will evolve over time as more people join our company, but here’s a start.
BACK TO THE FUTURE – Probably my favorite movie of all time. I want to travel through time again and again, and again. It’s Marty being the son Doc didn’t have, and Doc being the father Marty needed, which led to Marty saving his real father, and helping his father develop the confidence he needed to not be a slacker anymore. Seriously one of the best movies of all time.
THE KARATE KID – I want to see Daniel be the son Mr. Miyagi needs and see Mr. Miyagi be the father Daniel needs. I want to see Daniel get beat up, face overwhelming odds, and overcome. I want to see how someone with the right training can beat others who’ve had the wrong training for years. I want to see Johnny say, “Good match,” at the end. It’s good to beat your opponent, but it’s better to convert him to an ally.
Deep down, I want to make movies illustrating fathers and father-figures. Men being men, stepping up to the roles they were called to fill, leading their families as they should. I think a lot of boys and men are failing in society today because they don’t have the role models we once did. Let’s show them what society is missing.
THE GOONIES – Who wouldn’t want to go on an adventure searching for a pirate ship full of treasure with your friends you may never see again if you fail? And I’ve probably seen it over 100 times, but I still can’t help but laugh at the Truffle Shuffle.
THE BREAKFAST CLUB – I’ve been in detention a time or two, and it was never this interesting. But I was fascinated with each one of these characters, and I just wanted to go deeper. To this day, I’d love to know what happened to each of them.
I think every John Hughes movie feels like he’s telling the story of a fond family memory…
“Let me tell you about the time I had detention, and I met some fellow students I never would’ve talked to otherwise, but they became great friends, at least for that day.” – THE BREAKFAST CLUB.
“When I was little, my mom and dad went to a funeral, and my uncle came to babysit my two sisters and me.” – UNCLE BUCK.
“Man, our family vacations were outrageous.” – National Lampoon’s CHRISTMAS VACATION, EUROPEAN VACATION.
“I was so sick of school, one day I just took the day off with my best friend and my girlfriend, and our principal actually came to my house to make sure I was sick! It was epic!” – FERRIS BUELER’S DAY OFF.
“Once, my family went to a lake house and met up with another family my parents knew. This bear busted down the door, and my dad shot it in the butt with a lamp gun.” – THE GREAT OUTDOORS.
“This one time, my parents went to Paris and forgot me at home, and these two crazy burglars kept trying to rob my house, but I defended it valiantly. They got arrested, but then you’ll never believe – I ran into them in New York!” – HOME ALONE 1&2.
I’d sit and watch every one of those movies, because they’re just fun. I watched SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT for the first time a few weeks ago, and I couldn’t remember a recent movie that was just simple and entertaining.
SEVEN – I remember seeing this movie in high school, and it absolutely blew my mind. I have never seen a movie where they used a structure like the seven deadly sins to plot out the movie, and that was the first time I remember a movie drawing me in and making me think.
FIGHT CLUB – I haven’t been in a physical fight since I was a little kid, and this movie made me want to go punch someone in the best way. I totally related to it, and the reveal at the end I never saw coming.
JUNO – the dialogue is so unique; I could probably turn off the picture and just listen to it, and it’d be worth the price of admission.
GLADIATOR – This movie just kicks ass. I remember watching this when I was an airman, and then again one night in Officer Training School. The way Maximus stood with courage against tyranny. The way he led his army in the beginning and then his fellow gladiator army. The way the other gladiators gathered around him to protect him out of loyalty, because they trusted and followed him. And the way he turned his back on the Emperor, and the Guards opened up a way out so he could walk away – he inspired the guards to have the courage to rebel against the emperor. That’s what you want in every leader. That’s what we all aspired to be – a leader who cares about his troops, willing to sacrifice for them, and worthy of their honor and respect.
BOILER ROOM – I don’t hear about this movie too often, but Giovanni Ribisi killed it. He was trying to earn his dad’s approval the whole time, and nothing he did was good enough. He realized what he was involved with was a scam, and he did everything he could to get his client his money back before the whole thing burned to the ground.
WALL STREET – So many of my favorite movies revolve around dads. Bud looks up to Gordon as the father he wants to emulate. His real father (played by his real father) is the voice of reason, trying to guide him to avoid the pitfalls of this life he’s chosen. In the end, Gordon goes down and takes Bud down with him, and his father is there to support him.
TRAINING DAY – This was such a great movie. Ethan Hawke shows up looking for a mentor, and in the course of one long day he brings this mentor to (street) justice.
JOHN WICK – this stunt choreography is on another level. It’s just so good. And the way they set up his character, so we see everyone build up how much they’re afraid of the man, the myth, the legend, before we even see him in action, and then Keanu Reeves delivers so well.
THE EQUALIZER – Denzel Washington is a star like no other. No matter what role he’s playing, I can’t take my eyes off his performance.
UNDERWORLD – I usually don’t like horror/creature movies, but this one I watched and something about it spoke to me. Not so much the sequels, but the first one I really liked.
SCREAM – Again, I don’t usually like horror movies, but I probably watched this movie 30 times when I was in high school. I’m sure the amazing cast had something to do with it, and I remember watching it the first time, having no idea where it was going.
DAZED & CONFUSED – The music rocked, so many young, talented, up and coming actors, and it was just a simple story of people I’d want to hang out with for one amazing night.
THE DARK KNIGHT – I don’t necessarily want to hang out with Bruce Wayne or spend time in Gotham, but I want to be a fly on the wall and/or live vicariously through his adventures. And Christopher Nolan is a master. I will happily spend 2-3 hours following any story he tells.
This list is by no means comprehensive, and I realize the majority would be considered “guy” movies. I really do like romantic comedies as well (SWEET HOME ALABAMA, PRETTY WOMAN, CRAZY RICH ASIANS), and I like some small dramas. I like great characters, but I’ve never seen a movie about someone dying for 2 hours that I’d want to watch again, so dramas would be a tough sell.
I don’t know if each of these adds up to this, but I want to make movies that hold to a biblical worldview. Selfish people pretty much end up miserable. The wages of sin is death. People who use people eventually alienate others and wind up lonely – or pay for company. If stories are based in reality, they need to reflect reality. Someone mentioned the movie GREASE, where basically a girl has to change everything about herself, even start smoking, to get the guy. The music is catchy, but that’s not the kind of movie I’d want to make.
You know what movies I consistently appreciate these days? Adam Sandler movies. No kidding. What I like most about his movies is they’re generally light-hearted, they’re entertaining, his characters love their families, they love and support their friends, they’re self-deprecating, they laugh at each other about getting older, they’re just trying to raise their kids or get through life, doing the best they can. I can relate to that, and I think lots of people can, too.
Like many others, we’re on a mission to save Hollywood, because unfortunately many who’ve succeeded in Hollywood over the years have left Hollywood and California for much friendlier cities.
Maybe were not saving Hollywood as much as were trying to do our part to revitalize, reinvent, or maybe circumvent it. Time will tell what impact we have.
Independence = Freedom.
Our goal is to be truly Independent: independent financing, independent production, free to share light and laughter with the world.
Feel free to leave a comment below telling us what some of your favorite movies are and what you loved most about them.